


Anam Cara

by JulieCox



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Captain Britain - Freeform, Fluff, Friendship is Magic, Gen, Ireland, Oh so fluffy, PTSD, Tony ships them, boy [significant space] friend, comfort without the hurt, implied Bucky/Steve if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-28
Updated: 2014-04-28
Packaged: 2018-01-21 04:12:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1537076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JulieCox/pseuds/JulieCox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve isn't afraid to show Bucky how important he is to him, even if the other Avengers, Tony in particular (and all of us fan-folk), read more into it. Love is love.</p><p>Set well after "Captain America: Winter Soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anam Cara

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoy this, I would be very appreciative of kudos and comments! Fan fiction writers LIVE for comments. I am on Tumblr at [WritingWhileHuman](http://writingwhilehuman.tumblr.com) and my blog is at [ www.writingwhilehuman.com](http://www.writingwhilehuman.com). My published work can be found there as well.

_Avengers Tower_

Bucky looked up from his laptop as Steve and several other Avengers came into the large common area on the ninth floor. “Hey,” he said, closing the computer and setting it on the coffee table. “How was Ireland?”

“About like I left it,” Natasha said.

“Violent,” Tony said. “But with lovely accents.” He and Bruce went to the kitchenette and began shuffling through the refrigerator.

“Damp,” Steve said. “But we got our guy. Captain Britain does things a bit differently than we do, but it worked out in the end. Terrorist threat neutralized, bad guys behind bars, and we even had time to go to this festival thing they had going on.”

“Maybe we need to start giving the bad guys a handicap. I know - I’ll switch sides every so often, keep it interesting.” Bucky smirked.

“Oh har har. Don’t even joke about that,” Steve said, plopping down beside Bucky on the couch.

Even with a few years to get used to it, Bucky was still surprised sometimes at just how big Steve was now. He was still the same serious, thoughtful person, though. Which meant Bucky had to needle him. He gave Steve his best ‘let’s see how far I can push you’ look and said, “I have every right to make a joke out of the last 70 years of my life, and all the violence and brainwashing that accompanied it. In fact, I have the only right.”

Steve put an arm around Bucky’s shoulders and gave him a sideways hug. “If it makes you feel better.”

“You’re a punk.”

“Jerk. Oh hey, I got you something.” Steve pulled his duffel bag over and pulled out a small box. “There was a silversmith at the festival, and you know how I like to buy from actual artisans whenever I can.”

Bucky opened the box to reveal a slender silver ring, with the words “anam cara” stamped into it, a faint, delicate bevelling pattern on the edge. Bucky picked it up, turning the cool metal band between his fingers, and looked at Steve with questions in his eyes.

“It means ‘soul friend,’” Steve said. “It was a monastic term for companions with a spiritual bond that transcends - well, there’s a tag that explains it.”

“I understand,” Bucky said, not looking at the little brown card in the bottom of the box, but at Steve. The gesture punched him in the gut, in the best way. A slow smile spread across his face. “I understand what YOU mean by it. I don’t care what the makers of the ring meant by it.”

Steve matched his smile. “Well? See if it fits.”

“See if what fits?” Tony asked, emerging from the kitchenette with a pop tart.

“Steve bought me a ring,” Bucky said, grinning from ear to ear.

“So you guys are getting married or what?” Tony said, taking a big bite.

“Oh right, you can do that now,” Steve said, half to himself.

“I am not in any psychological condition to be anyone’s anything,” Bucky said evasively. “Well. Except what I already was.” He held up his right hand, where the ring fit snugly on his ring finger. “There.” He gazed at Steve a moment, both grinning big and stupid, before folding Steve into a hug and burying his face in Steve’s neck. “Thank you. It’s perfect,” he said, his voice muffled.

Tony rolled his eyes and walked off. “Watching you guys is like drinking syrup. Just kiss already and get it over with.”

“Not everything’s about sex, Tony,” Steve said.

“Sexy things are.”

“Ignore him,” Bucky said. Pulling back he said, “Seriously. Thank you, Steve. I don’t know if you’ll ever understand how much you mean to me. The whole world.”

“KIIIIIIIIISS.”

“Shut up,” Steve hollered back at Tony. Turning back to Bucky, he said, “I think I get it. After all, I’m on the other side of this. Even when we don’t have anything else, we’ll have each other. Just. Don’t die again, ok?”

“Gonna do my best, and hold you to the same.”

“Deal.”


End file.
